UK surname
A surname derived from the Old English word "mend," referring to a maker or repairer of household items.
In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Mends surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 71, ranked #33,633, down from #20,709 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Briton Ferry, Panteague and Camrose. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mends is 102 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.8%.
1881 census count
92
Ranked #20,709
Modern count
71
2016, ranked #33,633
Peak year
1891
102 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mends surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mends surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 46 | #24,985 |
| 1861 | historical | 96 | #21,648 |
| 1881 | historical | 92 | #20,709 |
| 1891 | historical | 102 | #23,719 |
| 1901 | historical | 79 | #25,363 |
| 1911 | historical | 85 | #24,322 |
| 1997 | modern | 75 | #30,109 |
| 1998 | modern | 73 | #30,681 |
| 1999 | modern | 79 | #30,243 |
| 2000 | modern | 81 | #30,036 |
| 2001 | modern | 75 | #30,481 |
| 2002 | modern | 80 | #30,387 |
| 2003 | modern | 81 | #30,311 |
| 2004 | modern | 81 | #30,569 |
| 2005 | modern | 81 | #30,740 |
| 2006 | modern | 75 | #31,733 |
| 2007 | modern | 72 | #32,397 |
| 2008 | modern | 74 | #32,460 |
| 2009 | modern | 77 | #32,553 |
| 2010 | modern | 75 | #33,081 |
| 2011 | modern | 75 | #33,071 |
| 2012 | modern | 75 | #33,263 |
| 2013 | modern | 74 | #33,483 |
| 2014 | modern | 73 | #33,587 |
| 2015 | modern | 71 | #33,666 |
| 2016 | modern | 71 | #33,633 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Briton Ferry, Panteague, Camrose, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Briton Ferry | Glamorganshire |
| 2 | Panteague | Monmouthshire |
| 3 | Camrose | Pembrokeshire |
| 4 | Cardiff St John and St Mary | Glamorganshire |
| 5 | Llanelly | Carmarthenshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mends surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mends, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mends surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mends household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mends is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mends is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mends, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MENDS originates from England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'mendan', which means 'to mend' or 'to repair'. This suggests that the name was originally an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a mender or repairer of various items, such as clothing, tools, or household goods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MENDS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a person named John le Mendere, which is an early spelling variant of the surname.
During the medieval period, the MENDS surname was particularly prominent in the counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. Some early records from these areas include a mention of Robert le Mendere in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, and a Thomas Mender listed in the Tax Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1379.
The name MENDS has also been associated with various place names throughout England. For instance, there is a village called Mends in Wiltshire, which may have influenced the surname in that region. Additionally, the surname has been linked to the town of Mendlesham in Suffolk, which was formerly known as 'Mendes-ham' or 'Mends-ham'.
Notable individuals with the surname MENDS throughout history include:
1. Sir John Mends (c. 1545 - 1612), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1605. 2. Robert Mends (1587 - 1652), an English clergyman and academic who was the Rector of St. Olave's Church in Southwark and a Fellow of Eton College. 3. William Mends (1618 - 1697), an English lawyer and writer who published several legal treatises, including "The Book of Entries" in 1670. 4. Mary Mends (1749 - 1828), a British author and poet who wrote under the pen name 'Aletheia Lewis'. 5. Thomas Mends (1801 - 1885), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, such as the Church of St. Peter in Vauxhall.
The MENDS surname has a rich history rooted in the occupational traditions of medieval England, and it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life over the centuries, including merchants, clergymen, writers, and architects.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mends surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 17 Mends' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 17 | 1.83x |
| Pembrokeshire | 15 | 50.93x |
| Glamorgan | 12 | 7.44x |
| Monmouthshire | 12 | 17.91x |
| Kent | 7 | 2.21x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.76x |
| Carmarthenshire | 6 | 15.36x |
| Gloucestershire | 6 | 3.30x |
| Hampshire | 4 | 2.11x |
| Channel Islands | 3 | 10.93x |
| Devon | 3 | 1.56x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.66x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Panteg in Monmouthshire leads with 12 Mends' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1132.08x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Panteg | 12 | 1132.08x |
| Sculcoates | 7 | 48.08x |
| Hillingdon | 6 | 203.39x |
| Kensington London | 6 | 11.65x |
| Llanelly | 6 | 68.18x |
| Roath | 6 | 81.86x |
| Greenwich | 5 | 33.90x |
| Basingstoke | 4 | 183.49x |
| Bristol St Augustine | 4 | 136.52x |
| Briton Ferry | 4 | 207.25x |
| St Brides | 4 | 6666.67x |
| Hasguard | 3 | 10000.00x |
| St Helier | 3 | 33.56x |
| Tenby St Mary In | 3 | 200.00x |
| Camrose | 2 | 714.29x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 2 | 22.50x |
| Dover St James | 2 | 143.88x |
| Dursley | 2 | 266.67x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 2.48x |
| St Budeaux | 2 | 333.33x |
| Westminster St James | 2 | 20.99x |
| Clapham | 1 | 8.64x |
| Ealing | 1 | 12.08x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.11x |
| Narberth North | 1 | 192.31x |
| Robeston West | 1 | 2000.00x |
| St Ishmaels | 1 | 666.67x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.34x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 7.41x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mends surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 6 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Caroline | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Elizabeth | 2 |
| Georgina | 2 |
| Sarah | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Beatrice | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Constance | 1 |
| Elisa | 1 |
| Elise | 1 |
| Elizabet. | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Hester | 1 |
| Hillwork | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Kathleen | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Marian | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Melita | 1 |
| Nora | 1 |
| Rachel | 1 |
| Rhoda | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mends surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mends households.
FAQ
In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Mends surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 71 in 2016. That gives Mends a modern rank of #33,633.
A surname derived from the Old English word "mend," referring to a maker or repairer of household items.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mends bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.